Inferiority and Betrayal
by BattyAni
Summary: Angelina Johnson always had a thing for both the Weasley twins, but there was always a part of her that liked George more. George had always liked her too, but Fred expressed his feelings first, so he backed down. After Freds death the two seek comfort in each other and those feelings begin to arise once more. But will they be able to shake the feeling that they're betraying Fred?
1. The Funeral

_The summer of 1998_

***Angelina's POV***

I sat amongst the crowd, still unable to quite comprehend what had happened.

I was at Fred's funeral.

Fred had died.

He was gone.

I looked up at his picture, and almost laughed at how extremely inappropriate it was given the situation.

It was of Fred, of course, making silly faces at the camera. It was taken in the middle of the twins shop, on opening day I think, so everything was bright and silly. His parents claimed it was the only picture they had of him without George. That was highly plausible I suppose, but I think his family secretly wanted that to be the picture used today. It's what he would have wanted.

Next to the picture was his coffin. It looked so small. It was difficult to believe Fred could fit in there, but I figured his big personality made him seem about ten times larger than he ever really was. It was a closed casket, which was fine by me. I would much rather remember a silly, smiling, happy Fred than whatever he looked like now. In that little box.

I was overcome by a wave of guilt for what wasn't the first time that day.

It had been a great source of anxiety in my Hogwarts years. Having a crush on two boys at once was bad enough, but brothers? _Twins?_ It was sick. Disgusting. I had told myself this over and over again.

But that was not what ashamed me that day. The source of my new guilt was that nagging feeling, the knowledge that a small part of me had always liked George just that little bit more.

I felt like I had betrayed Fred on every level. _He_ had been the one I had actually dated after all, for whatever brief time it may have been.

But I couldn't help the way I felt.

Fred had always been the leader, in a way. He was the slightest bit louder, brasher, more confident. Meaner, at times. It was a small distinction, but you noticed it when you were close like we were.

I think that's what drew me to George. That fact that he let Fred take charge. That slight sense of inferiority. He wasn't quite as good with girls, I think that's where it showed the most. George always got a bit jumbled up, while Fred had no trouble asking me to the Yule ball…

I had been so busy thinking about George that I hadn't even noticed him walk up to the stand.

There were large purple bags under his eyes, and his cheeks were unusually hollow. I wondered if he had slept at all since Fred had died. Or eaten, for that matter. God, he looked so lost.

***George's POV***

I found myself looking out at all the people who Fred had ever cared for. Everyone I cared for.

Because everyone Fred knew I knew too. We were a match set. And I knew that one of the first things everyone here thought when they had heard about Fred was 'poor George'.

Because now I was broken. I was incomplete. I would never be whole again.

I didn't have a speech planned.

I wanted to of course. I wanted to honour him, but I lost track of time. It had felt like both two minutes and two million years since it had happened.

I looked out to my family. They were broken too.

They had tried to help me. Percy kept trying to apologise. Mum wanted me to talk about it. Some of the others tried to cheer me up. Eventually I just told all of them to go away.

I locked myself in my room to feel sorry for myself.

Mum had been sobbing for days, and now it had been toned down to a gentle hiccup. Her cheeks were still stained with tears. Dad was comforting her, but he cried too.

Ron sat with Hermione held close to him, her face buried in his chest. He had a pained look on his face. It was as if he thought that if he let her go, he'd lose her too. As if he'd lose everything.

From his side, Harry gave Ron a pat on the shoulder. He was concerned for his best friend, but he mourned like the rest of us. He was family too.

Tightly holding Harrys other hand was Ginny. She was biting down on her lip with all the might, but tears still welled up in her eyes. Ginny hated crying in public.

Percy sat clutching his stomach, as if he was going to be sick. He was taking it hard. He felt guilty. Not only because he had been the one there when it happened, but because he hadn't been there for the last few years of Fred's life.

It wasn't Percy fault though. We all knew that.

If anything it was mine.

I shouldn't have let us get split up. We worked so much better as a team.

Bill sat with his arm around Fleur, Charlie on his other side. It was odd to see my older brothers cry, but they did.

They all cried.

Except for me.

My grief had gone so far beyond tears.

Finally, I thought of something to say.

"He was the eldest twin, did you know that?" I announced. "By three minutes. He never let _me_ forget it, but he never told other people. He wanted us to be equal." I paused for a moment, still unsure of where I was going, and then continued. "But we weren't. He was so, so much better.

"The shop, all of our best pranks… those were all his idea. He was smarter, funnier, and braver than I ever was. But it didn't matter because we were two halves of a whole.

"And now the best part of me is gone. He went and got himself killed and now I'm all alone!" I felt and sob build up in my throat, and the crowd stared at me in shock.

What was I doing?

I was being selfish and stupid when I should have been honouring my brother.

I had to get out of there before I said something else I'd regret.

And so I ran.

***Angelina's POV***

Another teary eyed Weasley got up and took his place, but my vision was blurred and I couldn't tell which one.

I felt myself go after George, despite knowing he wanted to be alone.

It was almost as if my legs were moving against their own will.

There was a grave yard made just outside of Hogwarts, specifically for those who died in the battle.

That's where I found him, sitting before the hole that would soon be his twin brother's final resting place.

"He wasn't better than you." I told him firmly. He jumped, not having heard me walk up, and turned to me for a second. He looked away quickly, but not before I saw the tears on his freckled cheeks.

He didn't respond.

I looked around at all the graves. Professor Lupin, his wife, little Colin Creevy.

There had been separate funerals for everyone. Nobody wanted to group them all together.

I'd been to many of them in these last few weeks, but none were as hard as this.

I couldn't imagine how George felt.

I sat down next to him. "You were every bit as good as he was. You had just a many good ideas, and you stopped a whole lot of his stupid ones as well. He wouldn't want you saying those things." I didn't tell him this in a comforting tone. They were facts, and he needed to hear them.

He laughed in a quiet, bitter way. Not at all like the way he used to laugh with Fred.

"I can't believe it's _you_ of all people telling me that." He whispered harshly.

"Why's that?" I asked with a hint of annoyance.

"Because you're the one that chose _him_." He turned around to look me in the eyes, a hurt expression on his face. "You knew I like you too, didn't you? But you went with him instead."

I looked at him in stunned silence. All the things that had torn me apart, the things that I had tried to ignore and avoid, had just been confirmed and thrown back in my face.

"I am so sorry, George…"

"No, I'm sorry!" George said quickly. "That wasn't fair of me to say. I don't know what got over me. You didn't know. You had every right to have chosen him. I..."

I placed a hand a hand on his shoulder, silencing his erratic apologising. "No George, I'm sorry because I _did_ know. I liked you too George. I liked you both, and I didn't know how to deal with it. I couldn't choose and he asked me first… I am so sorry."

"It's fine Angelina. It's all in the past now." He smiled slightly. Not out of happiness, but to assure me of his sincerity.

I suddenly realised my hand still grasped his shoulder. Embarrassed, I started to pull away.

He stopped me, placing his hand over mine.

My breath caught.

I leaned in to him, again feeling as though I wasn't in control.

His hand ran lightly across my hair.

I closed my eyes.

Suddenly his hand left mine. My eyes shot open to see him standing, his back to me once again. He gripped his head as if to steady it.

"You're his ex-girlfriend." It wasn't directed at me as much as it seemed a reminder to himself. He turned back to me, his teary eyes pained and confused. "I-I can't do this…"

And with that, he was gone.

* * *

_Okay, so this is just a little Georgelina fic I came up with._

_It's will be about five chapters long, alternating between flashbacks and the 'current' story line._

_Anything that isn't mine is property of JK Rowling, obviously._


	2. The Yule Ball

_Christmas day, 1993_

***George's POV***

I sat alone at the Yule Ball.

Couples swung past me to the upbeat song blaring through the great hall. I still couldn't believe Dumbledore had booked _The Weird Sisters_.

I spotted a surprisingly nice looking Hermione Granger, dancing happily with none other than Viktor Krum.

I couldn't help but wonder what Ron thought of his Quidditch hero now. It would have been a laugh had I not been in the same boat.

As if reading my thoughts, Fred and Angelina spun into view.

_Fred and Angelina_. Just the idea of it twisted my chest in an anger I'd never thought I could feel in relation to my own twin brother.

I shook the thought from my mind.

I was being stupid really.

It had always been a bit of a joke between Fred, Lee and I, going after Angelina. Partly because she was gorgeous and partly because it annoyed the living hell out of her. Best case she would roll her eyes at us, worst case she'd jinx our Beater's bats to thwack us over the head for hours on end. Then somehow, in the midst of all that, I started to like her for real.

I was all prepared to ask her to the Yule Ball. I just needed the perfect way to do it. _Maybe I could spell it out with those fireworks me and Fred have been working on, if only we could work out the kinks…_

But Fred asked her instead. He told me he was going to just when I was about to tell him my plans to do just the same. I supposed I could have told him I liked her, like really proper liked her, but what if he did too? Sure, he hadn't told me so, but I hadn't told him either. I think this was the first time we had _ever_ not told each other something.

Fred had urged me to ask one of the other girls, Katie or Alicia, but I still didn't want to go with anyone but her.

And now I was stuck with nothing to do but watch them dance around crazily, having the time of their lives. Dancing their way towards me, actually…

"I need to use the loo." Fred announced as he reached me, loud enough that two Beauxbaton girls at the next table turned their noses up in disgust. "Take care of my date would ya?"

Fred nudged Angelina toward me and took off. She extended her hand to me and I took it, making our way out to the dance floor.

I had every intention of picking up their eccentric dance where it had left off, but the music swelled to a stop, and Myron Wagtail's speaking voice echoed through the hall:

"_This one's going out to all the lovers out there. Hold each other tight, and keep each other warm."_

Angelina blushed slightly, question in her eyes as they met mine. I was certain I had turned a much more noticeable shade of red.

"…_And dance your final dance_

_This is your final chance…"_

We awkwardly fumbled into a slow dance position, avoiding eye contact as we did so.

"…_To hold the one you love_

_You know you've waited long enough…"_

She grinned as we began to sway, and suddenly it wasn't awkward at all.

"…_So, believe_

_That magic works_

_Don't be afraid_

_Of being hurt…"_

Everything was perfect, just in that moment. For a second I forgot that Fred had asked her first.

"…_Don't let this magic die_

_The answer's there_

_Oh, just look in her eyes…"_

"I was going to ask you…" I began in a whisper, knowing it was a bad idea. She was here with Fred, my brother, my twin, my best friend, but I couldn't let this moment go by without telling her.

"I would have said yes." She replied, so quietly that I wasn't sure it really happened.

"…_And make your final move_

_Don't be scared, she wants you to…"_

We continued to sway silently, looking into each other's eyes.

I was hit with the sudden, overwhelming need to kiss her.

"…_Yeah, it's hard, you must be brave_

_Don't let this moment slip away…"_

I might have leaned in. She might have too. I might have done it, had Fred not suddenly shown up in my peripheral vision.

I coughed loudly, and leaped back from Angelina. I could almost hear the loud crack of our sudden romantic atmosphere breaking.

I pushed her towards him, perhaps more forcefully than I had meant to as she stumbled in her heels.

"She's all yours mate."

"…_And don't believe that magic can die_

_No, no, no, this magic can't die…"_

I quickly walked off, forcing myself not to look back. In case she had resumed our dance with him. In case our perfect moment meant nothing.

"…_So dance your final dance_

_Cause this is your final chance"_

* * *

_Okay, so that turned into a songfic XD_

_I knew what I wanted to happen, but I got hit with writers block. I decided_ _to listen to some of the songs played at the Yule Ball and the lyrics were just too perfect :D  
_

_The song is **Magic Works **from the Goblet of Fire soundtrack if you didn't know. I'd recommend listing to it along with this chapter. You can watch it on youtube here: _/watch?v=OBPGJ0daqWg

_The song Fred and Angelina were dancing to at the start very well could have been **Do the Hippogriff**, which you can watch the music video for if you really want to get into it: _/watch?v=9tNUAumvfzg


	3. April Fools

_April 1st, 1999_

***Angelina's POV***

As I had expected, George and I didn't talk about our moment in the grave yard. It was like the Yule Ball all over again, after all these years. I was once again left guessing as to whether it had really happened, if we had really almost kissed, or whether my imagination had just gotten carried away.

Even aside from that, I didn't see George much. No one saw much of him these days. Even when we (_we_ usually meaning Lee, Katie, Alicia and I) managed to get him out and about, to catch up like old times, it was never anything but small talk; Always silly things to distract him from the sadness, never anything we really needed to discuss. It wasn't how it used to be.

That was, until late March the next year, when I received an owl from Ron Weasley. Ron, from what I gathered during the tiny conversations I'd had with George, had been helping to get _Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes_ running again. George hadn't felt up to it at first, but he eventually came around. He and Fred had worked so hard to make the shop what it was, he would never have forgiven himself if he let all that go. I think being back at the shop was good for George, he even looked half happy the last time I asked him about it.

It was the shop that Ron was asking about in his letter. April fool's day was coming up soon and, for obvious reasons, it was the busiest day of the year for any prank based business. Ron didn't want George to get overwhelmed with so many customers to take care of, so he was bringing in some reinforcements: a couple of George's closest friends to help around the shop for the day. He figured this would take care of things at the shop running smoothly, as well as making George feel more at ease if he was around people he knew.

I got there early that morning to help set up, and was swiftly greeted with a thwack to the arm.

"Pinch 'n a punch for the first of the month." Teased a grinning Lee Jordan, already dressed in the stores magenta uniform.

"It's half-five in the morning Lee, I wouldn't get on my bad side." I joked back.

I spotted George at the far side of the room, stacking boxes of dungbombs. He gave me a small smile and a wave, which I returned. I also noticed Ron at the counter, having some apparent difficultly with the cash register, and went up to talk to him.

"I appreciate you doing this for him, Ron." I told him as he yanked the register draw "It's really thoughtful over you."

Ron shrugged modestly. "Hermione's been a good influence on me, I suppose… There we go!" Ron cheered as he finally managed to open the register. His elation was short lived, however, as this was soon followed by an eruption of colourful feathers that seemed intent on attaching themselves to his face.

"April Fools!" Called a delighted Lee from upstairs.

I soon found a steady rhythm working in the shop, serving giddy children, restocking joke quills when they ran out, being the occasional victim of a random customers prank. I was too busy to be left to my own thoughts, as I so often was these days, and too busy to think about George apart from the occasional passing hope that he was being kept as busy as I was.

I was not pulled from this rhythm until we began to close up for the day and Ginny, who seemed to have skipped school to help out, approached me with her arms full of miniature Puffskein's.

"Have you seen George about recently?" Ginny asked with concern.

"Uh… no, I haven't seen him for a while now that you mention it." I answered her, suddenly regretting having let my mind stray from him for the day.

"I've checked the whole shop and I can't find him, I think he must've run off somewhere." She explained, struggling to keep the colourful creatures in her grasp. "I should go find him."

"No, you're busy rounding up the Pygmy Puff's. I'll look for him."

***George's POV***

Angelina found me in a dark corner of the Leaky Cauldron. She sat herself down beside me at the bar and looked over at the glass of cheap firewhiskey clutched in my hand.

"Now George, you know that stuff's bad news." She said softly. "Don't you remember fifth year?"

I cracked half a smile in spite of myself. "We snuck some into the Gryffindor common room."

"Yeah, and McGonagall caught us! Then Fred tried to convince her it was research for potions, but he was so smashed…"

"…He called her '_Prollesser MaGammanargel_'!" We finished at the same time, laughing for what felt like the first in ages. Usually it hurt to talk about Fred, but with Angelina it didn't feel so bad. She was the only person who could tell an old funny story about him without feeling the need to add something depressing at the end like '_that's how we should remember him_' or '_I can't believe he's gone_'. I had forgotten how easy she was to talk to, and began to wonder why I had been avoiding her for these last couple months.

"…Today was our birthday." I admitted to her after a long, yet surprising comfortable pause.

"What?" She asked, surprised.

"Today, April fool's day, it's me and Fred's birthday. I guess it was another one of those things he never wanted to tell people, like how he wouldn't tell which of us was older. He didn't want to ruin the fun of a day dedicated to pranks by having anyone give us special treatment."

"April fool's day." Angelina smiled. "That certainly is… fitting."

I smiled back. "We always thought so. Anyway, that's the real reason Ron thought my friends should be around, and why Ginny insisted on helping out even though she had school. This is my first birthday without Fred. That's why everyone's treating me like a little kid. They think I can't deal with it."

"They don't think that, George…" She said consolingly.

"Why not?" I asked, gesturing to the growing collection of empty firewiskey bottles around me. "They're hardly wrong."

Angelina grew quiet, knowing when to stop arguing with me. She let me finish my drink, ordering one for herself, but stopped me from ordering myself another.

"Okay." She said after a long while, "Time to get you home." I stood to leave, but stumbled under my own weight. I must have been drunker than I had thought. Angelina slung my arm over her shoulders and helped me out of the pub.

It seemed to take a very long time to reach the shop after exiting the Leaky Cauldron, despite the fact it was just down the street. By the time we got there it was evident that everyone had closed up and left, which I should have guessed at already by the darkened sky outside.

"Thank you." I whispered tiredly into her ear once we entered the dark store.

"That's what friends are for."

"No, truly. And not just for today. Thank you for everything. You're the best person I know." I told her honestly, wanting, needing, to let her know before the alcohol released its grasp on me.

"Really, George, it's no problem…"

Then, before I even knew what I was doing, my lips were pressed against hers. The long awaited kiss that always seemed to linger between the two of us was finally released. Her arms wrapped around my neck and her fingers locked themselves in my hair, as I pulled her in close by the waist and allowed a hand to run up under her sweater and explore her back. All I felt was soft skin and full lips, and the slightest of bumps as one of us pushed or pulled the other against a nearby shelf. And with that bump something came crashing down.

A joke box, something from the surprise '_unlucky dip_', started making a rambunctious noise. My lips broke apart from Angelina's, and I peered down to see my twin staring back at me. We stood arm in arm on the boxes logo, laughing whole heartedly with no idea of what was to come.

Suddenly my body was wracked with sobs, overcome with panic and guilt, and I crashed to the floor just as the box had a moment before.

"George…" Angelina whispered soothingly, hesitantly reaching out to place her hand on my shoulder. I shook her off.

"Just leave." I choked "Please leave."

And after a moment she did.


End file.
